Technological Indifference
by Domicile
Summary: “I’m not asking you to feel stuff for girls. I’m asking you to give me a chance.” Cam oneshot


**2:15 PM**

He bought a camcorder because he is an adult and, therefore, can do whatever he chooses. He bought a camcorder because his little sister's friend loves filming so dearly so it must be fun to some degree. He bought a camcorder without a thought to the events it would capture.

He set it up next to the television, facing the couch and doorway. It was placed there because that tended to be where all action took place in his loft. He set it up there because doorways are where life happens.

It had six hours of life, six hours in which to see what it truly meant to be human. Six hours before it would die and everything that followed couldn't be recorded. It had six hours, and he wasn't going to think about it for that whole time.

So he left. He walked away from his loft and away from his new camcorder. He left the little piece of technology up to its own devices. He left everyone to battle their inner demons. He didn't think about it.

Spencer Shay, what have you done?

**2:47 PM**

Dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, bangs framing an oval face. Big, brown, somewhat annoyed eyes. Long-sleeve shirt with a t-shirt over top. Blue jeans. Boots. She sat heavily on the couch, closely followed by a blonde female and brunette male.

The small camera's red light blared strong and steady as it studied its visitors. None of who took notice. How rude.

"What a suck-ish day." The blonde sighed loudly.

"How would you know, Sam? You slept through it." The dark-haired girl rolled her eyes, shoving at the couch pillows behind her head.

"I do know." Sam defended. "Why do you think I slept through it, _Carly_?"

Carly shook her head. "I don't care. I don't have the energy to talk anymore." 

"You guys sound old." The boy laughs, not moving a muscle.

"Who asked your opinion, Fredward?"

"Sam." Carly reprimanded.

"What? I'm actually curious."

"Sam."

"Forget it. I'm too tired to argue." Sam slid to her side until her head came into contact with Carly's shoulder.

Carly glanced around uncomfortably. Her eyes darted from Sam's head to out of the picture frame and back. She cleared her throat twice and then offered Fredward a small smile.

"You know, Freddie, maybe we could just hang out later? Sam and I are really tired and you know how your mom would act if she found out we all slept together." Carly said hastily.

Freddie flushed scarlet. "Yeah, okay. I'll come over later?"

"Okay." Carly nodded.

The brunette boy crawled to his feet and exited through the door and out of the frame. Back on the couch, Carly shifted, pushing Sam to lean the other way.

"Get off of me. I want to lay down." She nudged Sam again and finally reclined back. "Much better." She smiled and let her eyes close.

Sam flopped over on top of her. "I want to lay on you. You're warm."

"Well, you can't." Carly told her.

"Why not?" Sam pouted.

"Because."

"Because why?"

Carly sat up, pushing Sam away. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands for a second. "We've already talked about this."

Sam sat up too, much more lazily, though. "What are you talking about?"

"You know how I feel about you." Carly stated outright. "You can't just cuddle me like that anymore."

Sam bowed her head, placing her hand on Carly's knee. "Come on. That doesn't have to change anything if we don't want it to."

Carly brushed her hand off. "Why would I tell you if I didn't want it to change anything?"

Sam shrugged. "Because we tell each other everything?"

"No, Sam. That's not why."

She sighed. "What do you want me to say? I'm not gay or bisexual or anything. I can't do that with you."

"How would you know? Have you ever kissed a girl before?"

"No, but I think I would know by now if I felt something for girls."

"I'm not asking you to feel stuff for girls. I'm asking you to give me a chance." Carly pleaded. Then she shook her head, standing. "Forget it. I'm gonna go do my homework."

"Carly, wait." She grabbed her hand, pulling her back down to the couch. "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me. Than you'll know for sure why I can't be with you like that." Sam offered.

Carly rubbed her lips together, staring at her friend uncertainly. "Okay. But you have to try to enjoy it."

Sam grinned at her through tightly closed lips. "Fine."

"I can't kiss you when you're making that face." Carly said, shifting away from Sam.

"What face? Come on, just do it."

"Can you try to look like you might be interested? Just a little? I'm not going to force you to kiss me." Carly frowned.

"I'll try."

They stared at each other for a minute. "That's not any better."

"Can you stop judging my facial expressions and just kiss me?" Sam exclaimed, annoyed. "It's the face that I make after that's more important than the face I make before."

"Fine, fine. Just give me a second. I wasn't prepared to kiss you this afternoon."

"Did you need a minute? I could go wait in the hall while you regain your composure?" Sam asked sarcastically.

"Fine! I'm ready." Carly rolled her eyes.

They stared at each other again, daring each other to move.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to kiss me?"

Carly bobbed her shoulders. "It isn't as easy as it looks."

"I thought you wanted to kiss me."

"I do."

Sam sighed. "Whatever. Forget it. I'm getting a snack." She stood and left the camera's view.

Carly stared directly into the lens before standing and heading into the kitchen after her. The camera refocused on a more distant point in the room, blurring the couch.

**3:59 PM**

"Well, that's it. My life is over."

The camcorder stared, bored, at the scene that had stretched out in front of it for nearly an hour. You know your boring when even equipment doesn't want to watch you.

"Your life's not. Seattle Beat is."

"What's the difference?"

"Violent, obnoxious behavior."

"Shut it, Fredward."

"OW! SAM!"

Sam, Carly, and the recently returned brunette boy, Freddie, lazed side by side on the couch. Sam had her fist jabbed hard into Freddie's ribs. Carly slapped at Sam's fist.

"Leave him alone, Sam."

Sam stopped obediently.

"Hey, where's Spencer?" Freddie questioned.

Carly shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since this morning. He left a voicemail on my phone saying he'd be home tonight."

The door busted open, giving the camera its first taste of excitement in hours. A tall, scary woman slammed into the room with a bar of soap in her hands.

"Freddie? What are you doing over here? Its time for your tic bath!" She exclaimed.

Sam laughed and Carly looked horrified for him.

"But mom!" Freddie protested. "I don't have tics!"

"And why do you think that is? Now get in that tub!" She stormed through the room, latching on to Freddie's ear.

"Ow, mom! That hurts!" Freddie moaned.

Sam laughed harder. Carly looked even more horrified, if that was possible. Freddie was too busy being dragged out of the loft by his ear to care. His mother shut the door behind them and they ceased to be recorded forever in time.

Sam hopped to her feet as the final chuckles left her. She stretched her hands up high over her head and spun in a circle. "It feels good to be alive!" She yelled at the ceiling.

Carly smiled up at her. "Really? Your life just ended a few minutes ago, remember?"

"I'm not ready to die yet. There is still ham for me to eat, milkshakes to drink, and yeah. You get the idea."

"Those are your goals in life? All food and drink related?" Carly asked, eyebrows raised.

"What else is there?"

Carly fiddled her hands in her lap. "There's that kiss you promised me."

Sam stopped mid-spin. "That… was not my goal. It was yours. And I didn't promise."

"What if I want it now?" Carly rubbed her lips together.

Sam paused, but soon stepped out of the camcorder's view. "What if?"

Carly's eyes followed her. "Are you still willing to?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe I should call Freddie back over. You get horny when we're alone."

Carly threw a pillow at her. "Shut up."

Sam ran across the room to the door. She yanked it open. Carly hopped across the back of the couch and slammed the door back shut just when Sam opened her mouth to yell for Freddie. She threw Sam into the door.

"What the hell are you doing? I scare you that much that you actually want to spend time with Freddie?" Carly yelled at her.

"You don't scare me!" Sam yelled back automatically. "Look, I'm just trying to ease the situation until you get over this little crush thing you have on me."

"It's not a little crush thing!" Carly threw her arms up. "When is it going to click with you? I am in love with you! It's not complicated! It's six words! All of them are one syllable!"

"Well!" Sam went to snap back, but her voice faltered. "Yeah, okay. So it's not a little crush thing."

"You just don't get it." Carly shook her head. "Feel free to hang out as always. I'm gonna go do my homework."

Carly left the camera's view. Sam leaned heavily into the door. She exhaled loudly. The action was officially over for the camcorder.

**6:32 PM**

"This looks delicious."

"Its not even cooked yet."

"I have to wait for you to cook it?" Sam whined as she flopped onto the couch.

"… Yes. I'm not letting you eat raw chicken."

"Please, Carly?"

"No."

"Meanie."

The camcorder was fixated on Sam's face and the finger she had twirling through her curls. Her legs bounced continuously with unused energy. Her head was propped up against the arm of the couch so she could watch the kitchen.

"Hey Carly?" Sam called.

"What?"

"Did you happen to get my homework done, too, while you were upstairs?"

"No, why?"

"You were up there for like two hours. There's no way you had that much." Sam sat up a little.

A sizzling noise came from the kitchen.

"Are you ignoring me?" Sam exclaimed.

"Yes."

"What?"

"I'm trying to cook. Why don't you watch TV or something?"

"You're more interesting."

"Than watch me. Just shut up."

"Are you still upset about earlier?" Sam asked. "Because if you really want to kiss me, I really will let you."

"I said shut up."

"I'm serious. If you want to kiss me, you can."

There was a pause. "If you keep saying that, I really will do it."

"Good. I'm waiting."

Carly slowly edged into view. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, her shoulders hunched, her head bowed. "Really?"

Sam bobbed her head. "Really."

Carly dragged her legs over the couch arm opposite Sam and slowly crawled up her body until their faces were mere inches apart.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Sam was watching Carly's lips, forcing back a laugh. Carly sat back on her heels.

"What?"

"Nothing. Do it already."

Carly leaned forward again, but almost immediately pulled back when Sam laughed full out this time.

"What!"

Sam shook her head. "Its nothing, really."

"Than why are you laughing?"

"Just, you and me? Its _weird_."

Carly sighed, lifting herself off Sam and heading back out of the frame.

"Where are you going?" Sam called after her.

"Forget it. I don't want to kiss you anymore."

Sam's smile fell, her eyes downcast. The room was so tense the camcorder could feel it.

**7:08 PM**

Freddie leaned into the door, panting heavily. One hand clutched his hip, the other his heart. His knees were bent and he pressed his lower back into the door. The camera focused in on him, blurring the couch where Sam and Carly sat about a foot apart.

"How'd you get away?" Carly questioned as Freddie slid down to the floor.

He shrugged. "I'm not really all that sure. One moment I was in ballet class, the next I was running here as fast as I could manage."

"Ballet class?" Sam chuckled.

"Not now, Sam." Carly scolded. "Does your mom know you ran here? Is she going to show up soon and drag you off again? I think we could hide you somewhere."

Freddie shook his head. "Not necessary. I told her I suddenly remembered a science project we were doing and its due tomorrow so I had to get over here."

Carly nodded. "Cool. We aren't doing anything interesting, though. Just watching TV."

"That's fine. Anything is better than ballet class."

"Ballet class." Sam giggled again and Carly threw her a dirty look. "Okay, okay. I'm over it."

Freddie climbed to his feet and joined the girls on the couch, inhabiting the large space in between them. They both looked at him, quick glance at each other, and finally looked away. Spacing out at something off screen. Freddie looked at both of them and then shrugged.

"Okay, I'll pretend like that didn't happen." When no one responded, he cleared his throat. "I'll pretend like that didn't happen." He said louder.

"Than start pretending!" Sam snapped at him.

"Maybe I was better off at my ballet class."

"Maybe you were!"

"Sam!" Carly snapped.

"What?" She yelled back.

"Just!" She paused, standing. "Maybe I should just go to bed."

"Maybe you should."

Freddie stood too, putting his back to the camera. "Okay, what happened? You guys like never fight."

"I don't know, maybe you should ask Carly."

"Maybe you should ask Sam."

"Maybe I should leave." Freddie suggested.

"Than go!" Sam yelled at him.

"Don't go!" Carly commanded.

"I'm going to go." Freddie exclaimed and headed for the door.

Sam followed him. "No, Freddie. You stay. I'll leave." And out the door she went.

Freddie paced back to the couch. "What the hell happened?"

The camera blurred out as Carly shook her head and left its view, closely followed by Freddie.

**7:54 PM**

"So, do you want to talk about it? Or are you going to keep taking a ride on the elevator every time I ask?" Freddie questioned.

Carly sighed heavily on the couch, the sound echoing in the camcorder's record. "No."

"Come on. It'll make you feel better."

"I just…" Her hands went up into the air and then fell back to her sides. "What the hell is Sam thinking?"

Freddie sat up seriously, facing her. "What did Sam do?"

Carly rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Its probably my fault."

"What's your fault?"

"Everything!" Carly exclaimed.

Freddie's eyes were wide and confused. "And by everything you mean?"

"I mean everything!"

Freddie nodded, still confused. "Of course. That explains a lot." He muttered sarcastically.

A knock sounded on the door. Carly moaned, annoyed, and headed to it. Pulling it open, Sam stood in the doorway. Freddie jumped up and all but ran to the door.

"I think I should go home, now. I'll see you later?"

Carly nodded and he skedaddled back across the hall. Sam stared at Carly. Carly had her back to the door, so the camcorder couldn't really translate her emotions.

"So, I'm sorry." Sam started, curling one foot around the other.

Carly nodded. "You should be."

"I know." She sighed. "I just… I don't mean to play with you. You're the most important person in the world to me."

"And yet, here we are."

"Carly," She exhaled loudly. "When you told me you were in love with me, it kind of freaked me out."

"Clearly."

"But not in the way you think!" Sam rushed on. "I didn't think 'gross, she's another girl', I thought 'shit. What'll I do if things go that far and don't work out?'"

"What if things go that far and_ do_ work out?"

"Its too big of a risk for me." Sam shrugged. "But on the other hand, I can't really bring myself to deny you anything. So if you still want me, I'm yours."

There was a long pause in which no one spoke or moved. Finally Carly stepped forward, placing her hands on Sam's hips and pressing her lips into Sam's. They broke apart after a minute or two.

"I should probably go. My mom will worry." Sam muttered.

Carly kissed her again. "Or you could stay."

Sam's hands filled into Carly's hair when their lips joined once more. Carly pressed Sam into the door, tracing her hipbone with her thumb. Their mouths connected over and over, breaking only occasional to suck in a deep gulp of air.

"Or I could stay."

Sam walked them backwards after capturing Carly's lips again. They soon passed out of the screen. After the ding of the elevator, the loft went silent. The camcorder stared blankly at the spot the two had just inhabited.

**8:13 PM**

Spencer Shay opened the door to his loft, straining his ears for any noise. Quiet echoed back to him. With a sigh, he set down the bag he carried and strode over to the tiny camcorder.

Part of him didn't want to watch what it had captured; the other was desperate to see. He unplugged it and carried it to his room, hitting the record button to halt filming. He set the camera down on his desk, staring at it in wonder.

Should he or shouldn't he?


End file.
